Shield housing

Abstract

To provide a shield housing which is light-weight and achieves low costs and high adhesion force between a metal layer and a resin layer.SOLUTION: A side wall member 3 is a substantially cylindrical member which has a substantially rectangle shape in a plan view and in which facing surfaces are open. The side wall member 3 has a lamination structure formed by a metal layer 21 at the interior and an insulation resin layer 19 covering inner and outer surfaces of the metal layer 21. The metal layer 21 and the insulation resin layer 19 are integrally molded by insert molding. Through holes 23 are formed in at least parts of the metal layer 21. Each through hole 23 is filled with an insulation resin to allow the insulation resin layers 19 at the interior and the exterior to communicate with each other and be integrated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a shield housing for housing electrical equipment, for example, in an automobile or the like.

Background Art

[0002] Many electrical components are used in automobiles. For example, in electric vehicles such as electric cars and hybrid cars, a high-voltage distribution BOX that houses a high-voltage circuit is used. Such a high-voltage distribution BOX requires an electromagnetic shielding structure for suppressing leakage of high-frequency noise and the like. For this reason, a shield housing having shielding properties is used (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In Patent Document 1, as such a shield housing, a metal box body that is a conductor is used. The shield housing is formed by die-casting a box body with one side open. By forming the shield housing by die-casting, the degree of freedom in shape is high, and the required strength can be ensured. However, when the shield housing is formed by die-casting, the weight increases, and it is necessary to separately form an insulating coating.

[0004] On the other hand, a method has been proposed in which the side wall portion of the shield housing is formed by insert molding of a metal member in order to insulate the shield housing (Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] As in Patent Document 2, by forming a laminated structure of a metal layer and a resin layer by insert molding, a lightweight and low-cost shield housing can be obtained. However, if only the metal plate is simply insert-molded into the resin, the adhesion between the metal layer and the resin layer is poor. For example, in an automobile, the metal layer and the resin layer may peel off due to vibration or heat. Therefore, it is necessary to separately use an adhesive or the like, which increases the cost.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a shield housing that is lightweight, low-cost, and has good mutual adhesion between a metal layer and a resin layer.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] In order to achieve the above-described object First The invention is a shield housing in which an electrical device is housed inside, and has a substantially cylindrical side wall member and a pair of lid members that close the opening of the side wall member. The side wall member has a laminated structure of an internal metal layer and an insulating resin layer that covers the inner and outer surfaces of the metal layer. When the lid member is fixed to the side wall member, the lid member and the metal layer are electrically conductive. At least a part of the metal layer is formed with a through hole, and the through hole is filled with an insulating resin so that the inner and outer insulating resin layers communicate and are integrated Further, the side wall member is substantially rectangular in plan view, and the through hole is disposed near a corner of the side wall member It is a shield housing characterized by that.

[0010] A plurality of the through holes may be formed.

[0011] At the opening edge of the side wall member, it is desirable that the metal layer protrudes from the insulating resin layer.

[0012] At the opening edge of the side wall member, the metal layer may be bent to the inside or outside of the side wall member.

[0013] A second invention is a shield housing in which an electrical device is housed, and includes a substantially cylindrical side wall member and a pair of lid members that close an opening of the side wall member. The side wall member has a laminated structure of an internal metal layer and an insulating resin layer that covers the inner and outer surfaces of the metal layer. When the lid member is fixed to the side wall member, the lid member and the metal layer are electrically connectable. A through hole is formed in at least a part of the metal layer, and the through hole is filled with an insulating resin so that the inner and outer insulating resin layers communicate and are integrated A first fixing portion for fixing the shield housing to an installation portion is formed on the outer surface of the side wall member, and a second fixing portion for fixing to the installation portion is formed on one of the lid members It is a shield housing characterized by the above .

[0014] The second fixing part may also serve as an earth terminal.

[0015] A nut for fixing the lid member may be insert - molded near the opening edge of the side wall member.

[0016] At the opening edge of the side wall member, a groove may be formed over the entire circumference of the insulating resin layer, and a water - stop member may be disposed in the groove.

[0017] According to the present invention, since the insulating resin layers disposed on the inner and outer surfaces of the metal layer are integrated at the positions of the through - holes formed in the metal layer, the metal layer and the insulating resin layer can be integrated without using an adhesive.

[0018] Also, by arranging the through - holes near the corners of the side wall member, interference with other connector members or the like can be avoided.

[0019] Also, by arranging a plurality of through - holes, the insulating resin layers disposed on the inner and outer surfaces of the metal layer are integrated at the positions of the respective through - holes, so that peeling between the metal layer and the insulating resin layer can be more reliably suppressed.

[0020] Also, at the opening edge of the side wall member, by protruding the metal layer from the insulating resin layer, the lid member and the metal layer can be surely brought into contact and electrically connected.

[0021] Furthermore, at the opening edge of the side wall member, by bending the metal layer to the inside or outside of the side wall member, the contact area between the lid member and the metal layer can be increased.

[0022] Also, a first fixing part for fixing the shield housing to the installation part is formed on the outer surface of the side wall member, and a second fixing part for fixing the shield housing to the installation part is further formed on one of the lid members, so that the shield housing can be surely fixed to the installation part.

[0023] At this time, by making the second fixing portion also serve as the ground terminal, the shield housing can be grounded.

[0024] Also, by insert molding a nut near the opening edge of the side wall member, the lid member can be easily fixed to the side wall member.

[0025] Also, by forming a groove over the entire circumference of the insulating resin layer at the opening edge of the side wall member and arranging a water stop member in the groove, the water tightness between the lid member and the side wall member can be ensured.

Effect of the Invention

[0026] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a shield housing that is lightweight, low-cost, and has good adhesion between the metal layer and the resin layer.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0028] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the shield housing 1, and FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of the shield housing 1. An electrical device is housed inside the shield housing 1. Note that the illustration of the electrical device is omitted.

[0029] The shield housing 1 is mainly composed of a side wall member 3, a pair of lid members 5a, 5b, etc. The side wall member 3 is substantially rectangular in plan view and is a substantially cylindrical member with opposing upper and lower surfaces open. The side wall member 3 has a laminated structure of an internal metal layer 21 and an insulating resin layer 19 covering the inner and outer surfaces of the metal layer 21. The metal layer 21 and the insulating resin layer 19 are integrally formed by insert molding. The details of the metal layer 21 will be described later.

[0030] Lid members 5a, 5b are respectively arranged at the openings 7 of the side wall member 3. That is, the openings 7 of the side wall member 3 are closed by a pair of lid members 5a, 5b. In the vicinity of the edge of the opening 7 of the side wall member 3, a plurality of lid member fixing portions 9 are provided so as to protrude to the outer surface side. The lid members 5a, 5b are provided with holes 17 at positions corresponding to the lid member fixing portions 9 of the side wall member 3, and the lid members 5a, 5b are fixed to the lid member fixing portions 9 of the side wall member 3 by bolts or the like inserted through the holes 17.

[0031] When the lid members 5a, 5b are fixed to the side wall member 3, the lid members 5a, 5b come into contact with the metal layer 21 exposed on the end face of the side wall member 3. Since the lid members 5a, 5b are made of metal, when the lid members 5a, 5b are fixed to the side wall member 3, it is possible to conduct electricity between the lid members 5a, 5b and the metal layer 21. The details of the conductive portion between the lid members 5a, 5b and the metal layer 21 will be described later.

[0032] In addition, an installation portion fixing portion 11, which is a first fixing portion, is provided on the outer surface of the side wall member 3. The installation portion fixing portion 11 is a portion for fixing the shield housing 1 to the installation portion and is formed in the insulating resin layer 19 on the outer surface side.

[0033] Note that the lid member fixing portion 9 and the installation portion fixing portion 11 can be integrally formed with the insulating resin layer 19 by injection molding. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately join the lid member fixing portion 9 and the installation portion fixing portion 11 to the insulating resin layer 19, and the degree of freedom in shape is also large by injection molding. For example, the installation portion fixing portion 11 may be a curved surface according to the shape of the installation target, or may be formed at a predetermined angle other than the direction perpendicular to the side wall portion.

[0034] Further, on one of the lid members 5b, an installation part fixing part 13, which is a second fixing part, is provided so as to protrude outward. The installation part fixing part 13 is a part for fixing the shield housing 1 to the installation part and is formed integrally with the lid member 5b.

[0035] Holes are formed in the installation part fixing parts 11 and 13, and as shown in FIG. 2, they can be fixed to the installation part with bolts or the like. Note that the arrangements of the installation part fixing parts 11 and 13 are not limited to the illustrated example, and the number of arrangements of the installation part fixing parts 11 and 13 is not limited to one location as shown in the figure, and they may be formed at a plurality of locations. Also, if the shield housing 1 can be sufficiently fixed, only one of the installation part fixing parts 11 and 13 may be used.

[0036] Further, since the installation part fixing part 13 is formed integrally with the metal lid member 5b, it is electrically connected to the lid member 5b (shield housing 1). Therefore, it may also serve as an earth terminal for connecting the installation part and the shield housing 1 with an earth wire.

[0037] Also, an electrical component fixing part 15 is provided in a part of the side wall member 3. The electrical component fixing part 15 is a part where a terminal member or the like connected to the internal electrical equipment is arranged. In the electrical component fixing part 15, a hole is formed in the side wall member 3, and a metal layer 21 is exposed on the inner surface of the hole.

[0038] Next, the side wall member 3 will be described in detail. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the insulating resin layer 19 is seen through. The metal layer 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape, for example, by bending a metal plate (including metal foil) and joining the ends at the joining part 25 so that the ends are electrically connected. The joining part 25 is, for example, welding. Note that if the ends of the metal layer 21 can be surely brought into contact with each other, they may be simply overlapped.

[0039] The material of the metal layer 21 is not particularly limited as long as it has shielding performance. For example, copper, iron, aluminum (all including alloys) and the like can be applied. Also, the metal layer 21 may have a thickness with shielding performance, for example, 2 mm or less.

[0040] As described above, the metal layer 21 and the insulating resin layer 19 are integrally formed by insert molding. That is, the metal plate constituting the metal layer 21 is set in a mold, and resin is injection-molded so as to cover the inner and outer surfaces of the metal plate, thereby forming the side wall member 3. At this time, the end face on the opening 7 side is not covered with the insulating resin, and the metal layer 21 is exposed.

[0041] Through holes 23 are formed in at least a part of the metal layer 21. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the through hole 23. The through hole 23 is filled with an insulating resin, and the inner and outer insulating resin layers 19 communicate and are integrated. By integrating the inner and outer insulating resin layers 19 sandwiching the metal layer 21 in this way, peeling between the metal layer 21 and the insulating resin layer 19 can be suppressed.

[0042] The through hole 23 is preferably disposed near the corner of the substantially rectangular side wall member 3. By doing so, interference with other electrical component fixing portions 15 and the like can be avoided. Further, for example, with respect to dimensional changes due to temperature changes and the like, the insulating resin layer 19 and the metal layer 21 can be surely integrated in the vicinity of the corner where the conditions are more severe.

[0043] The through hole 23 is preferably disposed at least at one location for each surface. By doing so, the metal layer 21 and the insulating resin layer 19 can be integrated on each surface. Further, on each surface, the through hole 23 may be formed at a plurality of locations instead of one location. In this case, for example, punching metal may be used as the metal plate. By doing so, the metal layer 21 and the insulating resin layer 19 can be more surely integrated.

[0044] Also, in the lid member fixing portion 9 near the opening edge portion of the side wall member 3, nuts 27 for fixing the lid members 5a and 5b are insert-molded. FIG. 5(a) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the state where the lid member 5a is fixed to the lid member fixing portion 9. Note that the lid member 5b has the same fixing structure.

[0045] As shown in the figure, the lid member fixing portion 9 is formed integrally with the insulating resin layer 19, and a nut 27 for fixing the lid members 5a and 5b is embedded therein. Note that the female screw portion of the nut 27 is exposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the lid member fixing portion 9. Therefore, without performing post-processing such as threading, a bolt 29 (see FIG. 2) can be inserted through the holes 17 of the lid members 5a and 5b and screwed with the nut 27, thereby fixing the lid members 5a and 5b to the lid member fixing portion 9 of the side wall member 3.

[0046] In the example shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the lid member fixing portion 9 is formed on two opposing sides, but it may be arranged on all four sides. In addition, although an example is shown in which the lid member fixing portion 9 is formed so as to protrude outside the side wall member 3, it may be formed inside.

[0047] Also, as described above, the metal layer 21 is exposed on the end face on the opening 7 side of the side wall member 3. At this time, it is desirable that the metal layer 21 protrudes from the insulating resin layer 19 at the opening edge of the side wall member 3. That is, the tip of the metal layer 21 protrudes with respect to the respective surfaces of the insulating resin layer 19 on either side of the metal layer 21. By doing so, the lid member 5a and the metal layer 21 can be surely brought into contact and electrically connected.

[0048] For example, if the end faces of the insulating resin layer 19 on either side of the metal layer 21 and the end face of the metal layer 21 are formed on the same plane, the lid member 5a and the metal layer 21 may be separated due to the influence of dimensional tolerances, deformation, etc., and there is a risk of non-conduction. On the other hand, by protruding the metal layer 21 from the end face of the insulating resin layer 19, the lid member 5a and the metal layer 21 can be surely brought into contact and electrically connected even under the influence of some dimensional tolerances, deformation, etc.

[0049] Note that, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the tip of the metal layer 21 may be bent inside the shield housing 1 at the opening edge of the side wall member 3, or as shown in FIG. 5(c), the tip of the metal layer 21 may be bent outside the shield housing 1. By doing so, the contact area between the lid member 5a and the metal layer 21 can be increased.

[0050] Also, as described above, in the electrical component fixing portion 15, holes are formed in the metal layer 21. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, in the electrical component fixing portion 15 as well, the metal layer 21 may be made to protrude from the surrounding insulating resin layer 19. That is, in the electrical component fixing portion 15, the opening size of the insulating resin layer 19 may be made larger than the opening size of the metal layer 21. By doing so, the electrical component fixed to the electrical component fixing portion 15 and the metal layer 21 can be surely electrically connected.

[0051] In addition, in the electrical component fixing portion 15 as well, as shown in FIGS. 5(b) and 5(c), the end portion of the metal layer 21 protruding from the insulating resin layer 19 may be bent to the inside or outside of the shield housing 1.

[0052] Also, as shown in FIG. 7, at the opening edge portion of the side wall member 3, a groove 31 may be formed over the entire circumference of the insulating resin layer 19, and a water stop member 33 such as a rubber packing may be disposed in the groove 31. As described above, since the insulating resin layer 19 is formed by injection molding, the groove 31 can also be easily formed. In particular, since the surface of the resin formed by injection molding is smoother compared to die casting, there is no need to perform separate surface processing to ensure water tightness.

[0053] In addition, when the metal layer 21 protrudes from the insulating resin layer 19, in a state where the lid member 5a is in contact with the metal layer 21, the depth of the groove 31 and the size of the water stop member 33 are set so that the water stop member 33 elastically deforms and adheres to the lid member 5a and the insulating resin layer 19 (the bottom surface of the groove 31). By doing so, the waterproofness of the shield housing 1 can be ensured.

[0054] The groove 31 may be formed in the inner insulating resin layer 19 with respect to the metal layer 21, or may be formed in the outer insulating resin layer 19. Also, the groove 31 does not necessarily have to be formed away from the metal layer 21, and the water stop member 33 may be brought into contact with the side surface of the metal layer 21.

[0055] As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the metal layer 21 is formed by bending a plate-shaped metal plate, it can be made thinner compared to die casting, and weight reduction and cost reduction can be achieved. Further, since the insulating resin layers 19 on the inner and outer surfaces are formed by injection molding, the shapes of the lid member fixing portion 9, the installation portion fixing portion 11, etc. can be easily molded.

[0056] Also, by forming the through holes 23 in the metal layer 21, the inner and outer insulating resin layers 19 can be integrated. Therefore, the metal layer 21 and the insulating resin layer 19 can be reliably integrated without using an adhesive or the like.

[0057] Also, by exposing the metal layer 21 at the end face of the opening 7 of the side wall member 3, it can be electrically connected to the metal lid members 5a, 5b. At this time, by protruding the metal layer 21 from the insulating resin layer 19, the metal layer 21 and the lid members 5a, 5b can be more reliably brought into contact and electrically connected.

[0058] Also, by bending the metal layer 21 inward or outward at the end face of the opening 7 of the side wall member 3, the contact area between the lid members 5a, 5b and the metal layer 21 can be increased.

[0059] Similarly, also in the electrical component fixing portion 15 formed in a part of the side wall member 3, by protruding the metal layer 21 to the inner surface side, the electrical component installed in the electrical component fixing portion 15 and the metal layer 21 can be brought into contact. For example, when a terminal member is arranged in the electrical component fixing portion 15, the case of the terminal member and the metal layer 21 can be reliably brought into contact.

[0060] Further, since the nut 27 is insert-molded in the lid member fixing portion 9, the lid members 5a, 5b can be easily fixed to the side wall member 3 without performing post-processing.

[0061] Further, by forming a groove 31 on the end face of the opening 7 and disposing a water stop member 33 in the groove 31, the waterproof property of the shield housing 1 can be ensured when the lid members 5a and 5b are closed. Note that grooves 31 may also be formed in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the electric component fixing portion 15 and the water stop member 33 may be disposed therein.

[0062] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. It is obvious that those skilled in the art can conceive of various modification examples or correction examples within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, and it is naturally understood that those also belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0063] 1………Shield housing 3………Side wall member 5a, 5b………Lid members 7………Opening 9………Lid member fixing portion 11, 13………Installation portion fixing portion 15………Electric component fixing portion 17………Hole 19………Insulating resin layer 21………Metal layer 23………Through hole 25………Joint portion 27………Nut 29………Bolt 31………Groove 33………Water stop member

Claims

1. A shield housing for housing an electrical device therein, comprising: a substantially cylindrical side wall member; a pair of lid members for closing an opening of the side wall member; and having the side wall member having a laminated structure of an internal metal layer and insulating resin layers covering the inner and outer surfaces of the metal layer; when the lid member is fixed to the side wall member, the lid member and the metal layer are electrically conductive; at least a part of the metal layer is formed with through holes, and the through holes are filled with insulating resin so that the inner and outer insulating resin layers communicate and integrate; the side wall member is substantially rectangular in plan view, and the through holes are arranged near corners of the side wall member. A shield housing characterized by this.

2. The shield housing according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the through holes are formed.

3. The shield housing according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at an opening edge portion of the side wall member, the metal layer protrudes from the insulating resin layer.

4. The shield housing according to claim 3, wherein at an opening edge portion of the side wall member, the metal layer is bent to the inside or outside of the side wall member.

5. A shield housing for housing an electrical device therein, comprising: a substantially cylindrical side wall member; a pair of lid members for closing an opening of the side wall member; and having the side wall member having a laminated structure of an internal metal layer and insulating resin layers covering the inner and outer surfaces of the metal layer; when the lid member is fixed to the side wall member, the lid member and the metal layer are electrically conductive; at least a part of the metal layer is formed with through holes, and the through holes are filled with insulating resin so that the inner and outer insulating resin layers communicate and integrate; a first fixing portion for fixing the shield housing to an installation portion is formed on an outer surface of the side wall member, and a second fixing portion for fixing to the installation portion is formed on one of the lid members. A shield housing characterized by this.

6. The shield housing according to claim 5, wherein the second fixing portion also serves as an earth terminal.

7. The shield housing according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein nuts for fixing the lid member are insert molded in the vicinity of an opening edge portion of the side wall member.

8. The shield housing according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a groove is formed over the entire circumference of the insulating resin layer at an opening edge portion of the side wall member, and a water stop member is disposed in the groove.

Images